CANOSIA CEMETERY RULES

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1 INDEX Section Contents Page 1 Canosia Township Cemetery History 2 2 Supervision of Cemetery 2 3 Ownership of Internment Rights 3 4 Cost of Cemetery Plots 3 5 Disinterment 4 6 Rules 5 7 Monuments and Flat Stone Markers 7 Last amended by motion of the Canosia Town Board on June 7, 2017: Kurt Brooks, Chair Kevin Comnick, Supervisor Daniel J. Golen, Supervisor

2 SECTION 1: Canosia Township Cemetery History A. Location: (T51-R15W, St. Louis County, MN) The cemetery is located at the junction of Midway Road (County #13) and Seville Road (County #694), a short distance south of the intersection of Midway Road and US Highway 53 (Miller Trunk Hwy). B. Canosia Township, incorporated in 1888, lacked a burial ground until land was donated in the early 1890 s. Some of Canosia s immigrant pioneers, along with residents of Grand Lake and Fredenberg, (formerly incorporated with Canosia) are buried here. The first cemetery ledgers were destroyed in the 1918 forest fire, but subsequent town clerks reconstructed the listing. Some WPA funding in the 1930 s and 1940 s allowed the town to add a few improvements. C. In more recent years, the township has rebuilt the access road, replaced lot markers and provided extensive grooming and landscaping. The Canosia Township Historical Society arranged for a veteran s monument and has also researched some of the pioneers buried in this cemetery. D. The original layout of the cemetery is an arrangement of blocks, lots, and gravesites. Each lot was divided into five gravesites, but presently there are only four gravesites per lot. SECTION 2: Supervision of Cemetery A. The cemetery reserves the right to compel all persons entering onto the cemetery grounds, to obey all rules and regulations adopted by the Canosia Town Board. B. Rules/regulations may be amended and/or revised by the Town Board at any properly posted meeting. C. The Town Board shall take reasonable precautions to protect owners and the property rights of owners from loss or damage. D. The Town Board reserves and shall have the right to correct any error that may have been or may be made in making interments or disinterments. E. Special cases may arise in which the literal enforcement of a rule may impose unnecessary hardship. The Town Board, therefore, reserves the right, without notice to make an exception, suspension or modification in any rules when, it its judgment, shall be reasonable. Any such case must come before the Town Board. F. Gravesites will be measured and marked, before burial. The family/estate will be responsible for expenses required to correct any and all errors. G. Gravesites will be excavated only by individuals who are authorized by the Town Board. 2

3 SECTION 3: Ownership of Interment Rights A. Cemetery lots can be obtained through the process outlined below and in Section 4. To purchase a burial site in the Canosia Cemetery, contact a Town Board member. Interment rights shall be used for no other purpose than the burial of the human dead or their remains. All agreements must provide for payment into the cemetery fund for general care and maintenance of the cemetery. No interment will take place until such transaction has been settled to the board s satisfaction. B. The sale or transfer of any interment rights by any owner or purchaser is not permitted. Lots or plots must be sold back to the Town for the purchase price; then may be resold at current prices. The Town Board has the right to refuse to consent to a transfer or assignment as long as there is any indebtedness due from the owners. A refund of purchase price is by the sole discretion of the Town Board. C. Ownership of interment rights may be disposed of by a will as outlined in Minnesota statutes or sold back to the Town for the original purchase price. D. The subdivision of interment rights is not allowed without the consent of the Town Board. E. No one shall be buried in any lot or plot, not having an interest therein, except by written consent of all parties concerned with the lot and by approval of the Town Board. F. Grave sites may be purchased in sections surveyed and designated for that purpose. Should any grave be vacated, and remains removed from the cemetery and there are no other survivors, the space will revert to the Town for resale. G. The burial of two bodies in one grave site will be permitted if it is two infants in vaults no longer than 24 inches, or if it is two separate remains from a cremation, or one casket and one urn from a cremation may be permitted in one site. The stones for these situations may be either the flat marker types or a single monument headstone. H. When winter burial takes place, the family will be held responsible for any additional cost for snow removal, ground thawing or damage to other sites and stones. SECTION 4: Cost of Cemetery Plots (Grave Sites) A. Definitions: 1. Resident is a person who is or has lived in the township of Canosia. 2. Non-Resident is a person who has never lived in the township of Canosia. 3. Standard Cemetery Plot is the selected site for burial as determined by the Town Board with input from the family. 4. Reserved Cemetery Plot is a site that has been pre-purchased for future use. 3

4 B. Costs: Resident Non-Resident Standard Cemetery Plot $ $ Reserved Cemetery Plot $ $1, C. A Resident may purchase a Standard Cemetery Plot at time of burial for the Resident cost. D. When a Resident is buried in the Canosia Cemetery, the heirs may at the time of interment, reserve up to three additional sites next to the deceased at the Standard Cemetery Plot cost. E. Non-Residents must make a written request to the Town Board with a specific reason as to why there is a need for the Non-Resident to be buried in the Canosia Cemetery. The Town Board will consider all the facts and provide the reason for granting or denying the request for burial of a Non-Resident in the Canosia Cemetery. F. When a Non-Resident is buried in the Canosia Cemetery, the heirs may at the time of interment, reserve up to three additional sites next to the deceased at the Reserved Cemetery Plot cost. G. All plots (grave sites) and heir reserved sites, must be paid for before a burial takes place. Any unusual circumstances should be brought before the board. SECTION 5: Disinterment A. Disinterments must have the proper authorization provided to the cemetery officials and copies provided for the files, this would be taken care of before any disinterment will take place. The Town Board will supervise all disinterments. Arrangements for disinterment of remains, vault removal, and restoring the grounds will be the responsibility of the lot owner s heirs, but must be authorized and attended by board members. B. Any person desiring to remove remains from the grave space of another must show proper authorization from authorities. The person requesting the removal must also sign a removal request. The request will indicate name(s), dates, lot number and locations before removal is to take place and said documents will remain in the cemetery file. C. After disinterment, the lot ownership will remain deeded to the original owner and follow Minnesota laws of descent, unless the owner wishes to sell the lot back to the town for the purchase price. The disinterment of a body of a deceased lot owner or any family member by heirs for profit or other reasons not considered proper by the board and against laws of the state of Minnesota will not be permitted. 4

5 SECTION 6: Rules All persons are reminded that the grounds are sacred. The cemetery is devoted to the burial of the dead and that provisions and penalties of the law, as provided by Minnesota Statute will be strictly enforced. All welldisposed persons will confer a favor by informing the board of any breach of proper decorum that may come under their notice. The object of these rules is to have grounds that will be easily cared for and will not pose a problem or danger to those that will be working or helping at any time. With everyone s help and cooperation, this will remain a beautiful area. A. No person shall be permitted to use profane or foul language, or in any way disturb the quiet and good order of the cemetery. B. All persons are prohibited to hunt, feed or disturb fowl or other animals at the cemetery. C. No person or persons other than those appointed by the Town Board shall be permitted to bring or carry firearms on the grounds. Military guards of honor and law enforcement agencies are authorized when in the charge of an officer and during a military service are excluded from this prohibition. D. The Town Board and their agents have the authority to enter upon any lot or plot to remove anything objectionable that may have been placed there contrary to the rules and regulations of said board. E. The Town Board and its agent may also trim or remove any dead, damaged, unsightly or overgrown trees, shrubs, vine, flowers, and plants. F. No person shall be permitted to enter or leave the cemetery, except by public access. G. Speeds of over 10 MPH will not be permitted. No person shall ride or drive upon the lawns or grounds other than on the designated road. Persons within the cemetery are asked to use the roads and walkways provided. All-terrain and other recreational vehicles are not allowed on the cemetery grounds. H. Persons visiting the cemetery are asked to use the roads and walkways provided. I. No enclosures of any kind, e.g., fence, coping, hedge, or ditch shall be permitted around any grave or lot or plot. J. Grave mounds will not be allowed. No lot area will be raised above the established grade of the land. No rocks, bark, chips, statues, bird baths, benches, etc. shall be permitted on grave sites and will be removed and disposed of without prior notice. K. If any memorial or any structure whatsoever or any inscription placed on it, shall be determined offensive, the town board shall have the right, and their duty to enter upon the site and remove it. Improper or offensive language will be removed at owners expense. 5

6 L. A family member and the Town Board agent before burial must locate gravesites. Family or funeral directors are to contact a board member to mark the sites for digging of the grave and stone or monument placement. M. All casket burials will be made in a permanent steel, concrete, or fiberglass outside container vault as required by the State of Minnesota. No burial will take place until all laws regarding burials by the State of Minnesota are complied with. Cremation burials require the use of a suitable, substantial urn container. N. Dogs and pets are permitted on the grounds only if properly secured and or leashed. O. No drugs or alcohol consumption is permitted. P. No decorations, shells, toys, sprinkling cans, receptacles or similar articles are permitted on any gravesite, plot or tree. Q. Solar lights are allowed if contained in the standard box, hanging basket or vase. R. The cemetery is not responsible for theft or damage to anything placed on sites or grounds. S. No wooden or cast iron benches are allowed, nor are wooden or wire trellises. No digging of holes to plant flowers or to hold flowerpots and other containers is permitted. No glass, clay or other easily breakable containers are allowed and will be removed immediately. No arrangements secured with wire or wire objects of any kind will be permitted. T. Flowers and Plants 1. Live or artificial flowers and plants are allowed on gravesites from May 20 th to October 1 st, as long as they are in a standard cemetery box, hanging basket or vase. 2. Planters will be allowed as long as they are not glass, ceramic or clay. They must be easily moved for the mower, not light enough to blow away in a windstorm. 3. No box, hanging basket or vase can weigh over 20 pounds. If found in violation, they will be removed without notice. 4. Funeral bouquets of flowers will be allowed for funerals and will be removed as they become unsightly or the next time the grounds are mowed. 5. All boxes, hanging baskets, vases, etc. will be removed by October 1 st, if not removed then; they will be removed at fall clean up, and disposed of after two weeks. 6

7 6. Flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, etc. will only be planted by the board; any others found will be removed. 7. Planting on gravesites is strictly prohibited. 8. Soil and grass seed or sod may be planted as needed. 9. The general care of the cemetery grounds will be up to the Town Board. SECTION 7: Monuments and Flat Stone Markers A. Monuments and markers placed in the Canosia Cemetery will be oriented to have the inscriptions facing to the east. B. The Canosia Cemetery requires that all monument and marker placement must be coordinated with a member of the Town Board. C. Maximum Monument sizes: A single lot will be 26 x 12 and no higher than 26. A double lot, will be 36 x 12 and no higher than 26 A four lot gravesite, will be no larger than 48 x 12 and no higher than 36. There will be one monument per four grave plots, in order to represent the family. All monuments must be set in place under the supervision or guidance of the Town Board. D. Flat stone marker sizes: The largest size on a single grave is 12 x 24 x 4 A double grave marker is to be no larger than 14 x 42 x 4 All flat stones are to be flush with the ground in order to help with lawn mowing. If you have any questions, please call a Town Supervisor. E. Monument and flat stone marker sizes noted above are for the largest size, this does not mean you have to purchase this size; there are many beautiful smaller ones available also. 7